Machine



(No Model.) 2 Sheets--Sheet 1. G. L. GRIMES &,F. H. WILLIAMS.

REAPING AND MOWING MACHINE No. 357,527; Patented Feb. 8, 1887.

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(No Model.) Sheets-Sheet 2. O. L. GRIMES & F. H. WILLIAMS. REAPING AND MOWING MACHINE.

No. 357,527. Patented Feb. 8, 188 7.

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N, PETERS. Phulo-Limagmphan Washinmnm D. C.

' IINiTED STATEs PATENT Grinch,

CHARLES LOOMIS GRIMES AND FRANK HARRINGTON \YILLIAMS, OF MOLINE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS TO WILLIAMS, WHITE 85 00., OF SAME PLACE.

REAPING AND MOWING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 357,527, dated February 8, 1887.

Application filed June 18, 1886. Serial No. 265,574. (No model.)

cation.

Our invention relates to reaping and mowing machines; and the improvements consist in'various features and details of construction hereinafter set forth.

Ihe machine is of that general type in which the cutter or sickle and finger-bar are jointed to and carried by an L-shaped bar or frame at the angle of the latter, the two ends of the frame being jointed to the main frame of the machine in such manneras to permit the bar to rise and fall freely under manipulation of a suitable lever; and the improvements relate, mainly, to the construction of said L- shaped frame and the manner of attaching the cutter and adjusting devices thereto.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved machine; Fig. 2, a top plan view of the same; Figs. 3 to 5, views illustrating various details hereinafter explained.

A indicates the main frame, formed or furnished with boxes to receive the revolving axle 13, on which are mounted ground-wheels G O, the frame being also fashioned to receive the driving-gear, the tongue D, and seat spring or standard E, essentially as in other machines of this class. The wheels are loose upon the axle B, and furnished with pawls to engage with ratchets on the axle, to permit backing and turning, as usual.

The gearing consists of a main gear-wheel, F, keyed upon the axle B; acombined pinion and gear, F. F", mounted upon a short shaft, G, having journals a eccentric to its axis and seated in suitable bearings in frame A; a combined pinion and bevel gear-wheel, F F, loosely mounted upon the main axle B, and a bevel-pinion, F on a shaft, H, which pinion remains always in mesh with bevel-gear Ft Shaft G has one of its journals extended outward beyond the'frame A and furnished with a hand-lever, I, the'body of which-is preferably formed of a flat steel bar, said lever serving to turn the shaft G and throw its main body forward or backward, thereby causing pinion F to mesh with or to become disengaged from gear F, as desired. The lateral swinging of bar I enables it to engage with or be disengaged from a locking lug or stud, J, which serves to retain the lever and shaft G and'pinion F in operative position after adjustment. Shaft H is j ournaled in a long box or bearing on the main frame A, and carries at its for ward end a wheel, K, provided with a wrist-pin, L, to which is connected the pitman through which motion is given to the cutterbar or sickle, as usual.

As shown in Fig. 2, frame A has a forward extension, in which the bearing for shaft H is formed, and at the front of this extension there is formed a cavity or depression, A, to receive and protect the wheel- K and wrist pin I. I

At the forward side of the enlargement or headin which the cavity A is formed there is formed a socket, b, to receive the flattened end 0 of one arm of an L-shaped bar or frame, M, 7 5

the other arm of which has a similarly-flattened end, d,which enters a socket, d, formed at the under side of the main frame A near the wheel 0, at the cutting side of the machine, the two flattened ends being secured in their sockets by and adapted to swing upon bolts dfipassing through theni and the walls of their sockets.

Thebar M is of the form best shown in Fig.

3that is to say, it is bent into substantially the shape of the letter L or V, with a short branch, e, connecting the two main arms or branches M M The portion e is upset by hammering or forging, to give greater strength and to produce bearing-faces f f at right angles to the branch M, for a purpose presently explained, and this is an important feature of the present improvements. Encircling the branch M of bar M is a sleeve, N, one end of which abuts equally against the face f. The sleeve N is formed with a head, 9, perforated to receive a bolt or pin, h, which also passes through Jhe ears 13 of shoe 0, and thus produces aflexible connection between the head and shoe, as usual.

Projecting from the upper side of sleeve N is an arm, N, through which passes one arm of a clamping-bolt, l, the other arm of which passes down in front of and bears against the face 1'" of the upset portion of the bar M, thus serving to hold the end of sleeveNfirmly against the bearing-face c. N nts P and P" permit the clamping-bolt to be adjusted from time to time to compensate for wear of the parts and to keep them always tight and free from play.

When it is desired for any cause to remove sleeve N, it is only necessary to loosen one of the nuts, swing the clamping-bolt upward, and slide the sleeve along branch M. The arm N of sleeve N is extended upward be yond the point where the clamping-bolt P passes through it, and it is perforated to re ceive the laterally-bent forward end of a rod,

Q, the rear end of which is jointed to ahand- 'lever, B, which lever is pivoted to the main frame A, and provided with a locking dog or pawl, j, to engage with a sector-rack, S, by which means the lever may be retained at any desired adjustment.

As shown in Fig. 2, branch M of bar M and the sleeve N encircling the same are in a plane parallel with the cuttingmechanism. When, therefore, the lever It is thrown forward and caused to rock the sleeveN forward at its upper side, it causes the front end of shoe 0 to be depressed and the rear end to be raised, and as the finger-bar is rigidly secured to the shoe it, together with the cutter-bar or sickle, partakes of the same motion, thus enabling the cutting mechanism to cut close to the ground or to follow close to the bottom of a depression. If the lever be thrown backward the reverse action follows, the front of the shoe and finger-bar being raised, so that they may freely pass over slight obstructions, follow the inclination of a gulley or depression in passing out of the same, or cut higher from the ground, as required.

The shoe 0 is formed with a lateral tail or arm, 0, in rear of sleeve N and extending to one side of head 9 and bolt 71, upon which arm bears one end of a gag-lever, T, pivoted between ears or lugs N, formed upon the under side of sleeve N. lever is connected by a chain or band, U, with a lifting-lever, V, pivoted upon the tongue D.

The tail or arm 0 of the shoe being extended inward or backward beyond the hinge pin or bolt 72, it follows that if downward pressure be applied to said arm 0 the sleeve 0 will be caused to tip or swing upon the bolt h, thereby lifting up the outer or free end of the finger-bar and sickle, and enabling them so clear very considerable obstructions, or to swlng up to a position which will enable the machine to pass through gateways, 820.

The movement of the gag-lever is limited by the wall or face of the space between the The rear end of the gaglugs or cars N, between which lugs said lever is pivoted. From this it follows that if the gag-lever be moved by lifting-lever V until it reaches its limit or stop, and the movement of the lifting-1ever be continued, the entire frame or bar M and the parts carried thereby will be bodily lifted from the ground and thus enabled to clear obstructions close to as well as more distant from the wheeled frame.

The liftinglever V is furnished with a dog or pawl, Z, to engage with a sector-plate or rack, W, as indicated, by which means the parts may be retained in an elevated position. As the gag-lever acts upon and depresses the tail or arm 0' of shoe 0, the bearing-point constantly changes, and in order to maintain a due leverage andproper bearing to prevent the shoe with its finger-bar and sickle from getting out of the control of the gag-leverT the end of said lever is made in the form illustrated in Fig. 4that is to say, it resembles a hook, the curved bearingface k of which is eccentric to the pivot on which the gag-lever turns or rocks. When the parts are in their normal position, as in Fig. l, the lever Will bear upon the tail or arm 0 near the inner point or nose of the hook-shaped end; but as the two parts swing downward the bearingpoint will constantly shift along the curved face k, but will remain practically unchanged upon the tail or arm 0, thus causing the gag lever to maintain a perfect and uniform control over the shoe and cutting mechanism.

X indicates the draft-rod, which, as usual, runs from the thrust-bar (which in this case is branch 31' of bar M) to and through a guide, Y, on the under side of the tongue D.

For the purpose of affording a firm and convenient attachment for the draft rod the branch M of bar M is upset or enlarged at a suitable point to form a boss, Z, which is perforated to form an eye, into which to hook and fasten the rear end of the draft-bar, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

We are aware that it is not new to employ an L-shaped or V-shaped bar to carry the cutting mechanism, that an eccentric shaft has been employed to carry a part of the gearing of a mowing-machine to enable it to be thrown into and out of mesh with other parts thereof, and that various other parts of the machine are of essentially usual construction.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is- 1. In a reaping or mowing machine, a cutter supporting frame, M, consisting of two main branches connected by an upset or enlarged portion, 0, substantially as shown and described.

2. The herein-described cutte1.'-supporting frame M, having branches M M, upset portion e, and perforated boss Z.

3. In a mowing or reaping machine, the combination of a main frame, a cutter-carrying frame, M, hinged thereto and consisting of branches 3' M" and connecting portion a, sleeve N, provided with arm N, and clamp IIO ing-bolt P, passing through said arm and ex I and nuts 1? P applied to bolt P and serving 6. In a mower, the combination,with a main frame and a cutter-supporting frame hinged thereto, of a rocking sleeve, N, mounted upon a branch of the cutter-supporting frame, a shoe, 0, pivoted to sleeve N and provided with tail or arm 0', gag-lever T, also pivoted to sleeve N, and having its bearing end or face curved, substantially as shown and described.

7. In combination with main frame A and hinged frame M, loose sleeve N, provided with arm N, lugs or ears N and head 9, shoe 0, hinged to head 9 and provided with tail or arm '0, and gag-lever T, pivoted to ears N all substantially as described and shown.

CHARLES LOOMI'S GRIMES. FRANK HARRINGTON WILLIAMS.

Witnesses:

W. J. EU'IRIKIN, J. B. OAKLEY. 

